Surface projector



April 8, 1958 K. R. MoEN 2,829,895

SURFACE PROJECTOR Filed April 2v, 1955 TOP/YE? UnitedV States Patent This 4invention relates to baseballl game apparatus and particularly to a table game having improved devices and apparatus for simulating the game of baseball.

lt is an object of my invention to provide game apparatus of the class described with novel pitching and batting devices adapted to be manually controlled and so constructed as to make the playing of the game a test of skill.

` A particular object is to provide an improved pitching device whereby a player is enabled to control the velocity of the pitched ball by manipulation of a member which is concealed from an opponent controlling the movement ot' the bat.

The invention also includes certain other novel features of construction which will be more fully pointed out in the following specication and claims.

Referring to thev accompanying drawing which illustrates, by way of example and not for the tation, a preferred embodiment ofmy invention:

Figure l is a plan view showing the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken lonthelineZ-ZofFig.l; Y r Y Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the lline 3-3 of Fig. 1; i g i Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pitching mechanism, partially in section` and partly in side elevation, and

Fig. 5 is afragrnentary cross section taken on the line S-S of Fig. 4.

j My improvedapparatus Vhas a normall'yhorizonta'lg' substantially rectangular, panel 6 defining a playing surface 7.

Ais surface is laid outwith ,suitable` lines, colored areas andlegends to simulate anordinarygbaseball iieldgg'uProjecting above' the surface 7 at each of the four sides of the panel 6 is a wall 8 adapted to confine a ball, e. g., a marble of suitable size, within the bounds of the tield.

Mounted in suitable locations on the panel 6 are a pitching device, indicated generally by the numeral 9, and a bat l0, both of which are manually controlled and Vintended to be operated by opposing players. The pitching device 9 has a wedge shaped upper end portion 11 pivotally supported on a pin 12 beneath the panel 6 and formed with a downwardly projecting arm 13. The upper I end portion 11 has a forwardly and upwardly inclined bottom surface 14 for engagement with the ball or marble to be pitched. An opening 15 is formed in the panel 6 to movably receive the portion 11 and the latter has an upper surface 16 which closes the opening 15 and is substantially flush with the playing surface 7 when the pitching device is in its retracted -or inoperative position. To bias the pitching device 9 toward its retracted position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, a spring 17 is connected at one end to the lower end portion of the arm 13 and at the other end to an anchor pin 18 projecting downward from the panel 6.

My improved manual control for the pitching device comprises a rod 19 extending diagonally across the lower surface of the panel 6 and having a handle 20 fixed on an end of the rod exteriorly of the Wall 8. This handle may be manipulated by a player stationed beyond the center field wall. The rod 19 is guided in a bearing in the base l purpose of limii -2 f of the board and .in a bracket 21 projecting downward from the panel 6. At its inner end the rod 19 is connected by a link 22 to the pitching device at a point above the pivot pin 12.

By pulling on the rod 19 a player actuates the pitching device 9 to a cocked, operative position such as that indicated in full linesin Figs. 4 and 5 wherein the surface 14 of the member 12 is in frictional engagement with a marbleflike b all 23 when the latter is in the pitching positi-on indicated in Eig. 4. To retain the ball temporarily in the pitching position, a shallow recess 24 is formed in the playing surface 7 adjacent to the front side of the pitching device; When the pitching control handle 20 vis released or pushed inward', the ball is snapped forward ina straight 'line over a home plate, indicated at 25 in Fig. l. ltnwill thus beyevide'nt that the pitching device lis adapted to project the ball byfnctional squeezing action under control yof `the player operating the handle 20.

As `shown in Figs-1 and nected to a vertically extending pin 26 at one side of the home plate 25. The 'pin' 2,6is supported to turn about its axis in bearings formed respectively in the panel 6 and in a bracket 27 mounted beneath the panel. A coiled spring 28 is disposed to bias the pin 26 carrying the bat 10 toward a stop pin 29 froina cocked position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1. My' manual control for the bat comprises a push button V3l) biased by a spring 30a to an elevated position and connected to a latch pin 31 disposed to project into the path of lthe bat. 5 The connection includes a pin 32 depending from the button 30 and an arm 33 having a hinge support 34 on the adjacent wall of frame of the game board connected to the lower end of the pin 32. The vertically movable: pin 31 may be retracted downward out of thepath of thebat 10 by pressing on the button 30 and is extended upward by spring 30a when the button is released so Vthat the bat may be held in its cocked or ready position.

In preparing for a pitched ball, the player at bat merely depresses the button 30, s'wing the bat supported on the pivot pin 26 tothe cocked position indicated in full lines in Fig.'1 and releases the button 30 so that the latch pin 31 temporarily retains the bat in its cocked position. When the bat is released by depressing the button' 30, it swings through an' angle of about 200 degrees counterclockwisefrom ,itsJ vcockedfpo'sition"and comes `to rest against the stop pin 29. By skillful timing of the release of the bat it may be caused to strike the ball 23 as it passes over the home plate and thereby bat the ball in any of a multiplicity of different directions across the fair and foul ball playing eld.

I provide a number of auxiliary features which coact with the pitching and batting devices herein described. Among these auxiliary features are ball traps, preferably located in positions on the playing lield corresponding to the positions of the several players in the outdoor game. Each of these ball traps may comprise a somewhat exible, resilient member 35 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is secured by a fastening device 36 to the panel 6 and disposed to extend substantially horizontally at an elevation above the playing surface 7 suicient to permit a batted ball 23, when it strikes one of these traps, to be caught and held between the member 35 and surface 7.

Another feature comprises ramps 37 fixed at suitable intervals along the outfield walls 8 to direct a batted ball over the wall, thereby 4simulating the hitting of a home run. Extending along each of the walls 8 are ball trap channels 38 adapted to receive and confine balls which strike the walls. The Walls 8 are preferably constructed from a somewhat soft, shock absorbent material which rebound and causes the batted ball to drop into a channel 38 after hitting the wall. These trap chan- 'y "'ldgatpeirted Apxu V8, 1958l s, the bat 10 is rigidly connels 38 thus guard against the rebounding vor* the majority of the batted balls into the playing field when they strike the wall 8, thereby :facilitating the scoring of base hits by retaining the .ball at the end of each play approximately at the point Vwhere itstruckfthe wall. I also provide devices39 which,iby,reference to` suitable markers and legends, may beused for recording balls, strikes and outs. Another device 40 may be Yusedto keep a record of the score ona suitable areaof theY panel 6 in association with suitable legends.

In playing the game, the players taketurns in. operating the bat 10 and pitching .device .9. .Innings.may thus be played in theusual manner. Inppreparation for a pitch, the ball.,23,is placed in ,therecess 24 while .the pitcher operates .the handle by.pulling.it out to raise the member 11 to the cockedposition indicated in'tull lines in Fig. 4. vThe ball is now confinedadjacent to or in contact with the surface? 14 ofthe memberv 11. The opponent at bat cocks it Vby turning it with Vitssupporting pin 26 to its retracted positionindicatedin.full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. .In coordination with `this adjustment, the push button 30 is .de ressedand then released to extend the latch pin 31 in 'the path of .the bat. When both players are ready, the one controlling the batting device releases or pushesfthe handle20, whereupon the spring 17 oscillates the pitching member 11 forwardly and downwardly, causing the ball to be projectedr substantially in a straight line to and over the homepplate 25. While the ball is thus in motion,.the. opponent operating the bat 10 tries to release it at thev..exact moment required to intercept the pitched ballandbat it into the outfield against the wallY 8 or over one of .the ramps 37. In this manner the play proceeds, preferably inaccordance with the established rules of baseball.

It will be evident that the outcome of the vgame is largely dependent upon the relative Y Skill of the opposing players, both in operatingthe pitching device and in the proper timing of the release ofl the bat-.10. .The handle 20 may be vreleased or pushed `suddenly or Agradually while the players hand onthe control is concealedffrom his opponent. By thus varying the speedrof 4passage of the ball across theplate 25, 'the diiculties of making a good batting Score are increased. The ,operator of the bat must estimate the speed of the ball at each pitch and release the bat fromvits cockedgpositioninproperly timed relation to the forward stroke of the pitching device 9.

Since the .pitching devicej ismormallyretracted with its upper 'surface substantiallyushz-With theplayingsurface 7, abatted ballmay pass directly over or'through the pitching box into the outfield without being deflected out of the playing field or over'the outfield wall. 4vAs a result, annoying interruptions of the game required for retrieving the ball are minimized. These improved structural features of my game apparatus increase the pleasure of playing the game and make the outcome of each game played dependent largely on the skill of the players.

I claim:

l. In game apparatus, a panel having a normally horizontal playing surface, said panel being formed with an opening for a pitching device and a shallow recess adapted to hold a ball ina predetermined pitching position forwardly of said opening, a pitching device adapted to project through and above said opening and having a lower forwardly and upwardly inclined surface adapted to engage an upper and rear surface of a ball in said recess and an upper surface adapted 'to extend substantially in a common plane with said playing surface, means supporting said pitching device for movement from an extended position in which said lower surface projects obliquely .above said recess to a retracted position in ywhich said upper surfa-ce is substantially flush with said playing surface and means for manually actuating and controlling the movement of said pitching device whereby a `ball may be projected from said recess along a predetermined path and at selected velocities upon said playing surface.

2. Game apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein resilient means are provided for biasing said pitching device toward said position in which its upper surface is substantially flush with said playing surface.

3. Game apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein said .pitching device is pivotally supported to oscillate atbout a horizontal axis located beneath said playing surace.

4. Game apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein said means for manually actuating and controlling the movement of said pitching device comprises a handle projecting at one side of said panel and a rod and link operatively connecting said handle to said device and extending beneath said panel.

References Cited in the file'of this patent Gadke Apr. 2, 

